Radio antenna



May 23, 1939. L. A. HYLAND 2,159,379

RADIO ANTENNA Filed Dec. 19, 1935 Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIO ANTENNA Lawrence A. Hyland, Washington, D. 0.. assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Bendix Radio Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Dela- This invention relatesto radio antennas generally. More particularly this invention relates to radio antennas adapted for aircraft.

An object of this invention is to provide an shaft 4 extends to the front of the cover I. This cover I may be made in various shapes and sizes and the design thereof must necessarily be made to fit the type of aircraft with which it is intended 5 antenna for aircraft adapted to be carried in a to be used. 5

convenient and out-of-the-way position. The antenna casing 5 is mounted on the in- Another object of this invention is to provide terior of the engine cover I and is supported in an antenna for aircraft adapted to be mounted fixed relation thereto by suitable means, such as in a readily accessible position. cement i, or it may be sprung into place inside Still another object of this invention is to proof the ring I and held there by its own resilience. 10 vide an antenna for aircraft in an exposed po- Suitable straps and bolts may be used to fasten sition presenting very little wind or air resistance the casing 5 to the engine cover I where deduring flight. sired. The cover I also may be provided with a A further object of this invention is to proslight groove, which will not interfere materivide an antenna for aircraft in a position where ally with its streamlining properties, to receive 15 its signal pick-up efficiency is substantially unthe tubular member 5. impaired yet where it is not exposed to dam- Where the tube 5 is of metallic material a layer age or view and where it offers substantially no 8 of insulation, such as phenol condensation additional wind or air resistance. products and the like is employed to space this 0 Other and further objects of this invention tube from the metal cover I. Will be apparent to those skilled in the art to The cement l is also preferably of insulation which it relates from the following specification material made of suitable resin solutions and the and the claim. like.

In accordance with this invention I provide Electrical conductors Ill forming the antenna,

an antenna for aircraft, mounted in a convenare mounted in spacers 9 of porcelain or other 25 ient and efiicient manner in a position directly suitable materials, inside of the tube 5. These behind the propeller or propellers of the airconductors are all joined together to form a secraft. This is accomplished by coiling the anries of turns of the loop antenna in cases where tenna up into the coil of wire sufliciently large the antenna is a closed loop. The ends of the to fit the outer guard or Townend ring surroundclosed loop are brought out of the tube 5 through 30 ing the aircraft engine. The antenna may be the auxiliary or lead-in tube 6, which may be in the form of a closed loop and it may be enmade of metallic material and welded, soldered closed in a metal shield or any other type of or otherwise attached to the tube 5. shield, not metal, suitable to protect the antenna It is, of course, obvious that the tube 5 may conductor from weather or damage. be made of insulation material, such as, hard 35 Further details of this invention are set forth rubber, phenol condensation products or similar in the following specification and the drawing more less plastic materialsif desired, in which, briefly, Figs. 1 and la illustrate an the tube 5 may be made of metals, Such as, embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 shows a m num. pper. zinc /0 ll y of these and sectional view of the antenna and mounting other metals and the outside of the tube may taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig, 3 sh be given a relatively heavy or thick coating of an a fragmentary view of a section of th ante insulating varnish, lacquer, resin or similar subtaken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 5; Fig. 4 shows St a sectional view of the antenna casing coupling; The lead-in 6 may be taken from the bottom and Fig. 5 shows a section of the Townend ring of e e na Co stead of the top as shown 45 and the manner in which it is split by insulaand ends of the tube 5 Coupled et e t tion. the bottom by a suitable grommet or sleeve il Referring to the drawing in detail reference which receives the ends of the tube 5 as shown numeral 1 designates a cover, referred to as the in The .l S b w t e e 5 and Townend ring, employed over aircraft engine cyle Sleeve H are preferably sufficiehtly tight to 50 i d s f streamlining fi m; Thi cover i prevent Water from entering the tube. The sleeve mounted over the aircraft engine and-may extend H is provided With a projecting ube a also o e th engine h t if ld 3 b k t th made of elastic material, such as rubber and. the fuselage 2 or other engine mounting means such like, for receiving the lead-in conductor shield 6 as a nacelle set into a wing section. The propeller Which houses the l Conductors 55 A strip of insulation material l3 of phenol or resin condensation products, ceramic materials and the like is riveted, screwed, or otherwise attached to the ring I as shown in Figs. 1a, 3, 4, and 5. Two rows of rivets [4 are used to attach the strip I3 to the ends of the split ring one to hold these ends firmly to the strip. The purpose of splitting the Townend ring I is to destroy its effect as a signal screen or shield for the loop antenna. The antenna being placed inside of the ring, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1a, does not destroy the streamlining effect of the latter and, inasmuch as the ring is split by an insulation member eddy currents are prevented from circulating around the ring I.

While I have described an embodiment of this invention in detail, it is, of course, apparent that modifications Within the scope and spirit of the invention may be made and, therefore, I do not desire to limit the invention to the exact details set forth except insofar as they are defined by the following claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

An antenna for aircraft comprising a coil of conducting turns adapted to intercept signaling energy, a tubular metal casing formed into a split ring for enclosing said coil of conducting turns, insulation means for insulating the turns of said coil from said metal casing, a metallic streamlining member surrounding the outer extremities of the cylinders of a radial aircraft engine, said streamlining member being formed into a split ring, insulation means attached to the ends of said split streamlining member and means for supporting said coil of conducting turns in said streamlining member to permit said coil of conducting turns to intercept signaling energy.

LAWRENCE A. HYLAND. 

